Coronation Street’s Faye Brookes reveals fears her little brother, 9, would die during cancer battle: ‘Our lives were taken over by hospitals and chemotherapy’

CORONATION Street star Faye Brookes has spoken out about her little brother’s battle with leukaemia.

Faye, who is currently dating Pop Idol champion Gareth Gates, was a teenager when her 9-year-old brother Jack was diagnosed with cancer.

And now, the 29-year-old – who was 14 at the time his tragic diagnosis – has opened up about the heartbreaking time she thought her brother might “die” after finding out the horrific news.

Faye, who plays Kate Connor on the ITV soap, admitted the horrific news "changed everything" within her tight-knit family.

Faye Brookes with her brother Jack [Jack Barber/Instagram]

"Our lives were taken over by hospitals and chemotherapy," she confessed to the Daily Express. "My parents tried to protect me from it as much as possible but my mum was always at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital staying with Jack and my dad wanted to be there all the time too.

"It was caught quickly and he had a bone marrow transplant.

"But it was a terrible time, we thought at first he was going to die."

Speaking to TV Magazine, Faye admitted that romance is still very much alive between her and the Pop Idol star, who began dating in 2012 when they both played the lead roles in the hit musical Legally Blonde.

The couple have a long-distance relationship with Faye, who plays Kate Connor in the ITV soap, based in Manchester and Gareth touring the country in Footloose.

"I do get broody," Faye confessed. "I would like kids by the time I’m 35, but when the time is right, the time is right.

"Me and Gareth are focused on our careers right now. We have plenty of time, although I am actually 30 this year. Everybody has said to me that it was the best year of their life, so I’m going to relish it."